Baby medicine dosage - what do you give?

[MrsLL2b]

I remember reading on a thread here a while ago that in hospital they work out dosages of ibuprofen and paracetamol by weight which sounds very sensible to me. Think it was 0.4ml/kg for ibuprofen and 0.8ml/kg for paracetamol.

I certainly don't want to risk giving my daughter too much medicine but she has been ill and teething badly for the past few weeks on and off and I find that if I go with the dosage on the box it just doesn't seem to help her at all.

During the day the box dosage may be enough to take the edge off but at night it doesn't give her enough pain relief.

I also heard somewhere that you shouldn't give ibuprofen more than 3 times in a 24 hour period and not for more than a few consecutive days.

Interested to hear what others do.

Incidentally I did try to question a gp about this but in short he didn't seem to know - he did not know what calculations the hospital use and he said 'follow the instructions on the box and if she needs more than give her more'?!!!!!!!

[Saffron]

Hi- yes there is a thread on this somewhere... I think Forumite 'Buggie' has posted particularly re dosage. Try PMing her.

Regarding timing of medication: When you give the stated dosage on the box, are you giving just a single drug? I mean, do you give only ibuprofen, or only paracetamol? Try a double approach. Give the recommended dosage only, but give ibuprofen and paracetamol at the same time. Does that make sense? PM me if not. xx

[Yak]

I think the thread is called "paracetamol - too often, too careless?" or similar - sorry Ll2b I am on my rubbish phone so can't do links. Poor little E! We are going through the same here and it is just rubbish. The pain the yaklet is in is heartbreaking.

That's really interesting Saffron about doubling up. I had been alternating paracetamol and ibuprofen but at night it still has no effect. Will try tonight and see if helps.

[Fuschia]

I give 5ml calpol before bed then 2.5ml nurofen when I go to bed

Don't seem to really need it in the day for teething

When have has quite unwell children, a and e gave written down correct doses by weight for m

[Fuschia]

Sainsburys dkh have scales and will weigh a child if needed

[MrsLL2b]

Thanks all. She doesnt normally need medicine during the day when she is teething, so I don't usually mind giving her a bigger dose or a mixed dose (2.5ml of each) as a one off. But this is like no other teething! Think she may have 4 teeth coming through,constant dribbling, clingy, whingy, pulling on gums etc ALL day and night.

I was just in sainsburys and was looking at the instructions for use on different brands of medicine. For a 1 year old, baby nurofen and sainsburys own brand say 5ml but calprofen says 2.5ml (all the same strength) and sainsburys own paracetamol says 5-10ml each dose, where calpol says 5ml.

Those higher doses are more aligned with the dose she would need if I were basing it on weight. Might go with the lower doses during the day and higher at night.

Have had 3 nights of crying/moaning on and off all night long, hoping it will pass soon or the teeth will break through!

[MrsLL2b]

This is the thread where buggie explains the doses:

http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?29,653327,653675#msg-653675

[Fuschia]

I think I would be inclined to get her checked over by the gp as she seems in a lot of pain, for teething